Golf club head with variable thickness face to body transition

Abstract

A golf club having variable face to body transition is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head having an indented transition region that helps facilitate the transition of thickness variation from the striking face to a rear aft body. The indented transition region may be located on the crown, the skirt, or the sole, and achieves improved performance by achieving an increased thickness reduction slope.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; 
 a body portion connected to an aft portion of said striking face portion, 
 wherein said body portion further comprises;
 a crown portion connected to an upper portion aft of said striking face portion; 
 a sole portion connected to a bottom portion aft of said striking face portion; and 
 a skirt portion circumferentially connecting said crown portion to said bottom portion; 
 
 wherein said crown portion further comprises;
 a Central Transition Region, located at a frontal central portion of said crown, having a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope, and 
 a plurality of two or more Indented Transition Region, located at least at a frontal toe portion and at least at a frontal heel portion of said crown, each having an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope 
 
 wherein said Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope is greater than said Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope. 
 
     
     
       2. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said Indented Transition Region has an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of greater than about 0.06. 
     
     
       3. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said Indented Transition Region has an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of greater than about 0.07. 
     
     
       4. The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein said Indented Transition Region has an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of greater than about 0.08. 
     
     
       5. The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said Central Transition Region has a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of less than about 0.06. 
     
     
       6. The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein said Central Transition Region has a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of less than about 0.055. 
     
     
       7. The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein said Central Transition Region has a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of less than about 0.05. 
     
     
       8. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said Central Transition Region and said Indented Transition Region are located externally on the surface of said crown. 
     
     
       9. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said Central Transition Region and said Indented Transition Region are located internally within a cavity of said crown. 
     
     
       10. A golf club head comprising:
 a striking face portion located at a frontal portion of said golf club head; 
 a body portion connected to an aft portion of said striking face portion; 
 wherein said body portion further comprises;
 a crown portion connected to an upper portion aft of said striking face portion; 
 a sole portion connected to a bottom portion aft of said striking face portion; and 
 a skirt portion circumferentially connecting said crown portion to said bottom portion; 
 
 wherein said crown portion further comprises;
 a Central Transition Region, located at a frontal central portion of said crown, having a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope, and 
 at least one of an Indented Transition Region, located at least at a frontal toe portion or at least at a frontal heel portion of said crown, having an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope 
 
 wherein said Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope is greater than said Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope. 
 
     
     
       11. The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said Central Transition Region and said Indented Transition Region are located externally on the surface of said crown. 
     
     
       12. The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said Indented Transition Region has an Indented Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of greater than about 0.06. 
     
     
       13. The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said Central Transition Region has a Central Transition Region Thickness Reduction Slope of less than about 0.06. 
     
     
       14. The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein said Central Transition Region and said Indented Transition Region are located internally within a cavity of said crown.